Martial art shoes have traditionally not been worn by many traditional stylists for a variety of reasons. In this day and age, specially with the advent of ’self defense’ training, shoes are often warn depending on the style that is being taught. There are some practical reasons for wearing and training in martial art shoes that you may not have considered.
In many traditional systems, it is considered a sign of disrespect to wear shoes or sneakers in the training area or dojo. This makes sense, specially when you consider that in olden times, roads and walkways where often not as manicured as they are today. In systems that involve throwing or groundwork and mats are used, there are also hygenic concearns. Anyone who has wrestled or trained in a groundfighting system like ju jitsu for some time has seen how disgusting it can be to have to roll around with someone who has ringworm.
Traditionalism and hygenic concearns aside, wearing shoes while training is actually a very practical thing to do for a variety of reasons. First of all, if you are doing a lot of footwork and fast movement with your feet, the likelyhood of either stubbing your toe or getting abrasions on your feet from the floor is a highly likely occurance. Protecting your feet will not only make training safer, but it is also most likely that if you ever have to use your training in real life, you will probably be wearing some form of footwear or another. Training in conditions that will most closely simulate a real life encounter will help ensure that your training will properly prepare you for the real thing.
Another reason for wearing footwear that is specially designed for martial artists, is to protect your feet while you are sparring. This can help both you and your training parters. Even if you are point sparring, can you imagine what it would be like to recieve a front kick from someone who was wearing muddy steel toed boots? The risk of injury and infection will go down dramatically if everyone is wearing the proper equiptment. Martial art shoes are also made with thin soles in order to help you grip the floor more effectively as well as to help you be able to pivot on the ball of your foot. To those who participate in martial arts that involve kicking or any kind of precisise footwork, this is a definate plus.
If your training style allows you to wear footwork while you are training, there really isn’t any reason why you should be training barefoot and risking injury. Martial art shoes are designed specifically to help you with your footing as well as to allow you the ability to pivot on your foot. Training in the same shoes you might actually wear out in the street is also a wise choice for obvious reasons. With all of the different varieties and styles of martial arts shoes that are out there today, you can certainly find a pair that are both functional as well as stylish. Find a pair you like, train with them, grab a second pair to wear in the street and feel the confidence that comes with knowing that if the situation arises, you will be ready to go no matter what!
{ 0 comments }